Munster v Leinster

There are not many matches in rugby in this country these days that capture the imagination quite like a Leinster v Munster clash.

There are not many matches in rugby in this country these days that capture the imagination quite like a Leinster/Munster clash.

Nor are there many Celtic League games that draw the crowds like a south v east clash whether it be in D4 or Musgrave Park. For example last season a crowd of 6,000 turned up on a balmy September evening when the sides met in Donnybrook and later on in the season, almost five and half thousand braved the chill of a February night in Cork to see Munster complete a Celtic League double, a win that was much tighter than the final 24-13 scoreline suggested.

It doesn t take a keen nose to smell the whiff of cordite in the air in the run up to the kick-off. Long before the sides stream onto the pitch, there is that feeling among supporters of the apprehension that is reserved for arch rivals such as these. And least there be any doubt, yes it s different than any other contest at this level.

How far the rivalry goes back and how it began or why, is hard to determine but in recent times it s based on mutual if perhaps grudging respect.

Comparing like with like, if Munster lead the way in the Heineken Cup then Leinster own the bragging rights in the Celtic League following their final triumph two years ago. On that occasion, Alan Gaffney was lauded for his hand in the performance of the Leinster backs, the unit that ultimately destroyed Munster s hopes while the ever gracious Declan Kidney hid his disappointment with a smile from under his well worn soft green baseball hat.

On Saturday, it s complete role reversal with Gaffney guiding the Munster fortunes while his friend from Cork is in charge of Leinster. Remind me how did all that come about ? Fado, fado.. ah no, sin sceal eile. The first shots will be fired in the morning when Munster kit manager Jack Kiely arrives to set out his stall.

He will no doubt have to suffer a load of verbals (good-natured) from his Leinster counterpart Johnny O Hagen - water and duck s back springs to mind when the slagging starts with this pair. The respective players and managements will meet, mingle, share a joke, before going to either the Bective or Wesley ends to prepare for the serious business ahead.

In some ways a case of same old same old. There may be no O Gara, O Driscoll, O Connell or O Kelly and that s a shame but that wont take away from the intensity of the contest nor the ferocity of the impact. There ll be no sign of David Noble inside the ground and it s hard to fathom why one of the game s great characters found no room at the inn. This game needs characters. Like him and Ken Ging.

And the Lions are gone too, and no harm either. Co-incidentally they went back to the zoo around the time DK arrived in D4. The game here doesn t need Lions or Tigers or Hump Back Camels. We ll survive and can prosper if we come out and support the kind of honest endeavour and whole-hearted commitment that will be witnessed on Saturday evening in the stadium by the banks of the Dodder.

There are not many matches in rugby in this country these days that capture the imagination quite like a Leinster/Munster clash. Nor are there many Celtic League games that draw the crowds like a south v east clash whether it be in D4 or Musgrave Park. For example last season a crowd of 6,000 turned up on a balmy September evening when the sides met in Donnybrook and later on in the season, almost five and half thousand braved the chill of a February night in Cork to see Munster complete a Celtic League double, a win that was much tighter than the final 24-13 scoreline suggested.

It doesn't take a keen nose to smell the whiff of cordite in the air in the run up to the kick-off. Long before the sides stream onto the pitch, there is that feeling among supporters of the apprehension that is reserved for arch rivals such as these. And least there be any doubt, yes it's different than any other contest at this level. How far it goes back and how it began or why is hard to determine but in recent times it's based on mutual if perhaps grudging respect. Comparing like with like, if Munster lead the way in the Heineken Cup then Leinster own the bragging rights in the Celtic League following their final triumph two years ago.

On that occasion, Alan Gaffney was lauded for his hand in the performance of the Leinster backs, the unit that ultimately destroyed Munster's hopes while the ever gracious Declan Kidney hid his disappointment with a smile from under his well worn soft green baseball hat.

And on Saturday night, it's complete role reversal with Gaffney guiding the Munster fortunes while his friend from Cork is in charge of Leinster. Remind me how did all that come about ? Fado, fado.. ah no, sin sceal eile. The first shots will have been fired this morning when Munster kit manager Jack Kiely arrived to set out his stall. He will no doubt have had to suffer a load of verbals (good-natured) from his Leinster counterpart Johnny O'Hagen - water and duck's back sprin gs to mind when the slagging starts with this pair. The players will have met, mingled and shared a joke. And the respective managements too.

Kidney will have heard the word langer used more than once, enjoyed the company of Gaffney, Holland & Co and like them taken himself off - back to work and the business of putting one over his old side. There may be no O'Gara, O'Driscoll, O'Connell or O'Kelly and that's a shame but that wont take away from the intensity of the contest nor the ferocity of the impact.

There's no sign of David Noble inside the ground and it's hard to fathom why one of the game's great characters found no room at the inn. This game needs characters. Like him and Ken Ging. And the Lions are gone too, and no harm either.

Co-incidentally they went back to the zoo around the time DK arrived in D4. The game here doesn't need Lions or Tigers or Hump Back Camels. We'll survive and can prosper if we come out and support the kind of honest endeavour and whole-hearted commitment that will be witnessed this Saturday evening.